Jury selection has concluded in the murder trial of John W. Finney, a 52-year-old Mount Vernon man accused in the death of his wife, Amy Finney. The process took place Tuesday morning in Jefferson County Court, where Finney appeared dressed in street clothes and without restraints, accompanied by his defense team and state prosecutors.
Potential jurors were questioned during the first day of proceedings, and by mid-afternoon, a panel of 12 jurors and three alternates was finalized to hear the case. The court ordered the selected jurors and alternates to return Wednesday morning as the trial gets underway.
Finney faces multiple counts of murder, including charges alleging intent to kill or cause great bodily harm. The charges arise from the death of Amy Finney, whose body was discovered in September 2025. Authorities state that Finney was apprehended in rural Du Quoin after Amy Finney was allegedly shot at the couple’s Jefferson County home and her body transported in a vehicle.
In the weeks leading up to the trial, several pretrial motions were argued regarding the admissibility of specific evidence and statements that may be presented to the jury. The trial is expected to continue with opening statements and witness testimony.